Coaching Profiles

Windsor Tennis Club Belfast has three excellent tennis coaches, Director of Tennis Simon McFarland, High-Performance Coach Przemek Stec, and Coach Michael Blease. Great experience in working with 4 year olds to 98 year olds, and all ages in between!

Simon McFarland – Racquets Director

Age : 29

Clubs played for : Ward Park, Donaghadee and Windsor Tennis Club Belfast.

Tournament experience : A total of 14 Junior Ulster Titles and 3 Senior Titles around the Ulster circuit, Simon represented Ulster at U18 Level and County Down at Senior Level.

Preferred type of coaching : Simon loves coaching Under 10s that are aiming to become serious tennis players as well as beginner / improving adults who are keen to learn about the game. Aims to make sessions fun, energetic and challenging, coaching anyone who wants to improve their Tennis and all round fitness.

Main activities & Responsibilities : Simon joined the club in December 2009 and is coaching juniors and seniors in the club as well as Saturday afternoon Club Play and Thursday Club Night. Simon is also deeply involved in the development of the Junior and Senior Club and making Windsor the best squash and tennis club in Ulster. More recently Simon has gained his Squash coaching qualifications and is delivering squash clincs to juniors and teenagers as the game enjoys a re-surgence.

Simon has been coaching at Ward Park, Donaghadee and Lurgan Tennis Clubs, coaching players to Ulster and Irish level as well as developing the Junior sections and developing clubs into both a recreational place for beginner tennis and also a performance base for developing players to Ulster standard. Simon is also the South East representative for Junior Development in Ulster Tennis and helps run a number of Junior Tournaments around Ulster. Simon has also coached the Ulster Squads at U8, U9, U10 and U11.

Bit about him: Simon is from Bangor but grew up in Belfast going to Methody – Simon won the Tennis Schools Cup for Methody in his final year and then went to University in Lancaster studying Sports Development and Sports Coaching.

Coaching experience: Head Coach for one year in Poland. At Windsor since 2007, Head Performance coach, ulster squads. Przemek has coached many top players including Ulster number one female Karola Bejenaru who competed in 2015 in junior Grand Slams and at the moment is playing on the WTA Tour.

Michael Blease

Age : 24

Club played for : CIYMS and Windsor Tennis Club Belfast.

Tournament experience : Michael has competed in Ulster tournaments from the age of 14, winning 5 junior doubles titles and 3 senior doubles titles, and representing County Down at junior and senior levels. Michael also represented Ulster at the Senior Interprovincial Championships in 2016.

Preferred type of coaching : Technical and physical coaching. All performance squads. Under 8s, 9s and 10s as well as under 18s, 16s, and 14s performance squads. Beginner adults right up to adults competing in Ulster tournaments and Ulster leagues division 1-10.

Coaching experience – Windsor

Joined in September 2015 coaching the junior Performance squads for all ages and some recreational squads.

Coaching experience – outside of Windsor

Main activities & Responsibilities :

Tennis Fundamentals Coach 2007 – 2013

Wallace Park Head Club Coach 2012 – 2013

Hillsborough Club Coach 2013 – 2014

CIYMS Club Coach 2014 – 2015

Queens University Tennis Club Coach 2015 – Present

UTA– Ulster Tennis Academy College Squad Coach 2015 – Present

Michael has coached children of all standards and adults from recreational level up to Ulster and Irish competition level. Michael also coaches the Ulster Tennis College squad which aims to help juniors who wish to go away to US College to play tennis.

Michael grew up in Belfast and started playing tennis at 14, this was considered late for someone to start playing and competing in Ulster tournaments. Michael played his tennis at CIYMS Tennis Club where he won many junior and senior league titles. Michael attended Sullivan Upper school where he won two Ulster Schools Tennis cups.